


The hunted shadow

by sepicyin



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternative Universe - Kingdom, Arranged Marriage, Betrayal, M/M, Marriage, Prince Kim Junmyeon | Suho, Revenge, Swordfighting, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:07:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26272363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepicyin/pseuds/sepicyin
Summary: Hate, rage, and revenge were Sehun's fuel to chase after his father's murderer. Royal intermarriage was a need to accomplish his long-awaited revenge. Although his heart was covered with a mix of dark emotions, would it be able to see the light of love?
Relationships: Kim Jongin | Kai/Oh Sehun
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

In times when brave and proud men chased glory, power, and skirts. When families meant a little, and the struggle for the throne was grave. When men took pleasure in war and fights, ruled a sagacious king, King Avizat.

King Avizat was a wise and mystic king, and under his régime, people lived in happiness. He ascended the throne at such a young age. Although he was only in his late thirties, he –unlike most of the other kings or you may say most of the men- understood pretty well that war would bring to the Reuşian people only ruination and havoc; A kiss of death even if the gods and victory were their allies.

Whereas he looked after his people, he was a great diplomat: a smart talker, yet he was a tough and effective negotiator, which helped his kingdom to maintain a long-standing relationship with its neighboring kingdoms.

But he was a human being after all, and people always tended to make mistakes. however, for a king, simple mistakes were killing ones: first, he was so trustful of his own family even for a common man, let alone for a king and in days when princes and dukes killed their father, brothers, and whoever may be a threat to their installation on the throne.

“Your Majesty, Prince Raun, and his men’s latest affairs enraged the people in the north,” Said the emissary when he entered the throne hall before kneeling on one knee in front of his king.

The sound of dozens of voices banging against the walls of the hall, curiously commenting on the matter.

The king frowned on his throne before clearing his throat, loud in the room, silently ordering all the men of his council and the magnates to silence.

“You may enlighten us on the matter, Alius,” The King told the emissary from his place on the throne.

“Prince Raun has imposed the double of the tax base on them. Not only that but he also threatened them to burn their fields or even worse take their women and daughters, slaves, if they refused to pay or missed the payment day.” Explained the emissary, “A disgrace to their honor.”

“Inform the prince to present himself tomorrow morning.” Announced the king before calling an end to the council.

“Dear brother” Raun made his appearance known “To what do I owe the pleasure of you asking to see my face the first thing in the morning?”

The council looked at the interrupting, familiar voice. Entered the hall a well-built man. His face was expressionless and craggy. He dressed in a black tunic adorned with narrow red and golden stripes. A few steps behind him stood his second hand, Dioclet, holding a mighty well-worn sword. It looked like a part of his outfit.

“Don’t you think that you need to explicate what your men have done in the north or maybe justify yourself to your king and the council before we look into the matter?”

Raun shrugged “You won’t possibly let these pigs away with all this money, will you? We need it for the governmental expenses since we do not fight.”

“So, your idea is to raise the tax by the double,” The king lifted his eyebrow in disbelieve.

“Prince Raun, you threaten the people to set fire to their land and take their women, slaves,” Meddled counselor Albine. One of the king’s most trust men. The senior tended to the Reuşians’ favor. Besides, he was one of the wealthiest and influential men in the realm.

“I don’t remember inviting you to interfere, wrinkly.”

“I was not asked to. I interrupted. That is for correction, my Prince.” The wise man ridiculed, “The matters of the kingdom concern us all, and the people's honor is not something that can be tolerated.”

Raun frowned. The old man looked at him in a challenging gaze with lifted eyebrows, daring him to object, which made him turn his face away.

“Enough” The King slapped his hand on the throne chair, “Prince Raun, normally, going by the law, the sentence for what you have done is lowering your rank or worse exile... But taking into account what you have achieved in flourishing Reuşia till this day and that no crime was committed, there is no sentence although you may need to consider this a warning. Further, a sincere apology to the people is a must.”

Today’s friend is tomorrow’s enemy and vice-versa.

Never give your back to people -even the most trusted ones- because you never know who is going to backstabbing you. Too much trust kills a man. Some people can’t be given chances twice. and that was Avizat’s second mistake. The knock-out.

With his child between his arms, King Avizat was singing to his little prince a cradle song -while rocking- in a soft and harmonic voice to lull him to dream world. His wife, Queen Senna, was standing beside him, her hand on his arm and an easy smile gracing her beautiful face.

"Sehun missed his father lots today,” stated Senna on their way to the King’s room’s balcony after carefully putting their son into his cradle.

“Only him?” replied the King in a hushed voice, careful not to stir his sleeping boy. The question was answered with a shy soft laugh from his woman.

Their short sweet moment was cut with the loud bang of the slammed door against the bedroom wall.

“Brother, brother, brother, what a lovely family!” Sing-sang Raun from the entry with his soldiers behind him as he gestured to Dioclet to walk in the legal rulers’ direction.

The queen hurried to her asleep son’s bed and held him against her chest.

“Guards” The king shouted but the silence was his answer.

“I came to take what’s mine back, Avizat.”

Before the King was able to reach for his sword, Dioclet had already reached for his belt knife and slew his head from behind.

His body thudded dully against the ground the moment Dioclet let go of him. The wool rag around him begun to bleed.

The Queen’s throat closed in horror when the smell of the blood hit her nose. Her eyes popped in terror at the scene in front of her.

Gasping, she ran frantically to her fallen husband. She carried Sehun in one arm, and with the other, she started to press against the wound, using her hand, to stop the bleeding although he was already dead several minutes ago. She hadn’t realized yet.

Raun started to walk, slowly, in her way, “As much as I would love to kill both of you and your son to reunite with your man, unfortunately, I cannot. Not now.”

His shadow towered over her under the moonlight. She lifted paralyzed eyes to look at him, “You are a monster. He trusted you!” He paid her words, no head.

“Since I’m legally the king now, and a true king should show mercy” — Raun paused, crouching down to her eye level and pointing a finger between Queen Senna and Prince Sehun— “You shall be exiled to Crustulinya and never come back.”

The Queen slowly wiped her tears away and stood up. Face up and forward -in a queen-like posture, “Don’t make me laugh, Raun. Mercy! Don’t think I’m too stupid not to know that this is a part of your plan to gain the people on your side and have a comfortable installing on the throne without any rivals left.” she said, with a hateful look on her face, gaining a loud laugh from him in return.

“What a brilliant lady you are! If my dear dead brother were half your intelligence, Senna, he wouldn’t be a lying corpse on the ground now. It was his naiveté and trust what killed him.”

That was the last thing he said before ordering his guards to take the queen along with her secured son in her arms to be taken out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, I took more time to publish it than I intended to but I'm not feeling quite well lately so excuse me. 
> 
> Also, more tags will be added as I update.

The nutlet-sized Crustulinya was nothing like Reuşia. The weather was pretty mild but much colder than the other realms, especially in winter. The temperature could drop down below zero. Opaque powdery snowflakes would fall from the sky, freezing all over and turning into a heavy blanket of snow on the ground.  
It was surrounded by high mountains, from all the side. Marking the scenery with brown and white.  
Although Crustulinya was nothing like Reuşia, yet, it strangely felt more like home.

  
The only home Sehun knew since he left when he was too young to realize the feeling of being home, yet Reuşia had its special place in his heart. Especially when the cause of Queen Seena’s leave to reunite with her beloved husband -after years of suffering- was her heartbreak and longing for Reuşia.

Deep down, he always knew he would go back. Someday.

The ruler, King Truman, welcomed the exiled Queen and the Prince with open arms. He, along with his family, greeted them with pleasure and kindly courtesy. They surrounded Sehun with love and care as if they were his true family, even after the Queen’s death.

The echo of metals clashing against each other and vibration of the blade tintinnabulated, in the early morning, in the sword fighting arena.

He claimed custody of his slim needle-like sword. He held the blade even, angled in a perfect horizon; ready for attack. He struck with his sword to aim for the other man’s neck.

A tiny smile split the lips of the old man facing him as he parried the blow by tumbling down, causing the blade to whip through the air instead.

  
He knew fighting was a cinch to the young swordsman against him; his ability was born of strength and restless practice, but he knew him all of that very well to be able to predict his blow. It was not a false, blind judgment fueled by ego, but by years of being his sword-master, who taught him how to hold a sword and what it would take overcome a man of high-calibre.

  
The young man jutted out and hold his sword high and tight; leveled with his nose. He started to strike with the sword quickly, but his rapid strikes were stalled by the block of the other sword.  
The old one decided to take advantage of the younger’s anger and began to change his posture from defense to attack. That made the other fighter retreat to the back.

  
Soon enough, he realized what his master was trying to do by using his impatience. He leaped into the air to make his way out of the corner, and with the calmer, well-thought strikes than before, he attacked.

Overwhelmed by the continuous beats, the master couldn’t last so long before he wavered and lost grip on his sword, which fell with a vibrating sound on the ground.

“That is enough for today, Prince Junmyeon,” Said the lank-haired man, wiping the back of his hand across the thin line of sweat at his forehead.

The announcement of the end of the training accompanied by the entry of a servant, “Excuse me, Master Ilyan. My lord calls for Prince Junmyeon and Prince Sehun.”

  
That reminded the two men that there is a third person present in the arena. Their heads turned to Sehun, who was watching the fight while tossing the soft and juicy grapes, in the cup of his palm, in his mouth, pleasing his taste buds with a taste of bitter-sweetness. He gave them a wide grin when he felt their eyes on him.

The two lads bid the old-man goodbye, then walked to the audience chamber.

They -both- made their way through the curving halls of the palace, joking around and making fun of each other. They composed themselves when they came at a turn to the audience chamber before knocking on the door and entering.

Lord Truman was sitting on a wing-backed chair in the middle of the room, and in front of him sat a snowy-head man.  
At the far end of the room, there was a lit fireplace. The crackle of the burning flames was as a piece of background music, and the room was warm, despite the raw weather outside.

  
“Come, my sons.” he welcomed, his eyes on Sehun. “Councler Albine came from Reuşia to discuss an important matter with you, Sehun.”

  
The mention of his kingdom didn’t fail to catch Sehun’s attention.

  
The mentioned man stood up and kneeled at the exiled prince’s feet. “Your Grace, I’m your loyal servant, Albine. I used to be a part of your father, King Avizat, ‘s Royal Court.”

  
The young prince was taken back a bit by the senior’s action. “You may raise, Councler Albine. I know very well who you are.”  
Albine quickly obeyed, “I have an urgent matter to discuss with you, my Prince, as my lord has said.”

  
“Speak then.” The prince commanded. His face gave no hint of emotions.

  
“As Your Majesty knows, Lord Raun had violently sat on the throne through evil actions that led to unfortunate events.” The man began, and Sehun knew that he referred to his father’s murder and his exile accompanied by his mother by these ‘unfortunate events’. He nodded his head as a sign to the other man to continue.  
“Since then, and under the command of the late Queen and Lord Truman, I’ve been working in secret along with my fellow nobles, who sworn by a blood oath to always be loyal to the late king, King Avizat and his bloodline, all to gather the late King and Queen, your parents, ’s allies and friends in Reuşia and other kingdoms.”

  
The two young princes in the chamber turned their heads to look at the ruler of Crustulinya at the mention of his name and the secret arrangement.  
He looked at the ground for a long time, as if weighing something. “It was your mother’s order, Sehun. She was scared for your safety; your uncle has eyes everywhere, even here. We couldn’t risk and put you in danger.”

  
As if Albine could hear the thoughts of the prince as if he said them. Why now?  
He spoke, “She wanted to wait until all the men are gathered and ready to fight to tell you. Herself if she could.”

  
Then something shifted in Sehun’s face. A sadness.

  
He rapidly hid it, “So that means we are ready now?”  
“Not yet. There is one left problem that Lord Truman and I were discussing for quite some time, and it can not be solved, not without your agreement.”

  
“And, what is it?” Asked the crown prince.  
“King Jongin, King of Niraland, asks your hand in a marriage of convenience.”

  
“What?” Prince Junmyeon shouted, which made him earn a look of disapproval from his father.

  
“What are the consequences if I refuse?” Had asked Sehun in a calm tone, as if the matter wouldn't concern him.  
“Here is the problem, my Prince, Niraland is the strongest and the biggest out of all our allies. Not having them on our side is a pure loss. A certain defeat. Especially that Nirian king is a competent military leader.”

  
There was silence.

  
“I accept his condition.”

  
“Sehun, You can’t do that to yourself.” Said Truman in disbelief. “Don’t willingly throw yourself in the lion den!”

  
“Listen to me first, please.” He looked at Lord Truman, “I’m my father’s son; He was a cultivate policy resilience. If my father never lost a battle in diplomacy, I won’t either. I didn’t study history for anything. I know that knowledge of history doesn’t provide exact policy prescriptions in present circumstances. however, I believe that it does illuminate choices and raise central questions of policy formulation and implementation. Please, believe a little in me, Uncle Truman.”

  
“I do believe in you, Sehun, but the rumors about King Jongin are not good. He is cruel. A real monster. I'm afraid, I’ll be sending you to a living hell without any trusted person beside you.” He pleaded.

  
“I’ll go with him, father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter as well. More characters appeared!! 
> 
> And as usual, If anyone has a question or want to have a little chit-chat with me, I'm always active on my CC and Twitter. 
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sepicyin)  
> [CC](https://curiouscat.me/sepicyin)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again, lovelies, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. If anyone has a question or want to have a little chit-chat with me, I'm always active on my CC and Twitter. XOXO.
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/sepicyin)  
> [CC](https://curiouscat.me/sepicyin)


End file.
